Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Edited Article


I had a few necessary changes, more paraphrasing needed, a few things of importance to move around, but overall I did well. *whew*

CITY_011211_EDGAR_KK

Kayla Kearns
Daily Egyptian
Head:  Former governor Edgar ‘outraged’ by Illinois’ deficit


Illinois faces a budget deficit that could reach $15 billion this year. Jim Edgar, former Illinois  governor, came to the Student Center Tuesday night for the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute to discuss his ‘outrage’ at the states’ financial decline.  

Edgar was elected governor in 1990. He was the last governor elect to leave the state without deficit, and was also the last governor not convicted of corruption.

“The state of Illinois faces the worst fiscal crisis in its history,” Edgar said in his speech. “Depending on how you slice the numbers, Illinois’ financial state is the worst, second-worst, or third-worst in the nation,” said Edgar.

David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, said it was good to get the former governor’s insight into the state’s financial crisis.

Democratic lawmakers pushed an income tax increase through the legislature Tuesday that it would raise the state’s personal income tax 66 percent. The tax rate will go from 3 percent to 5 percent since Gov. Pat Quinn has signed the bill into law and has supported a tax increase.

Quinn, a Democrat, who served as lieutenant governor until Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office, tried to get a tax increase through the legislature previously, but could not get support from his own party.

Yepsen said polls have shown Illinois voters are willing to pay higher taxes to solve the problem, but are not willing to pay higher taxes and have the situation stay the same. They want to see progression, he said.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, a former SIUC law professor, said she admired Edgar for his combined fiscal conservatism and concern for education and other social issues. She said that Edgar played down the effects to the recession of the state, but she agreed with him on most matters.

Simon said that she and Quinn are focused on improving the quality of life for Illinois residents.

“We will get the state’s payments up to date, improve the public education, and make sure the social safety net does not disappear,” she said.

Yepsen said incumbent legislators enjoy a great advantage in Illinois elections.

“They can safely assume they will be re-elected barring unforeseen circumstances or events. But no one likes to say, ‘Hey, I raised your taxes. Vote for me,’” he said.

Edgar said it was an outrage that the state’s leaders had allowed the situation to get so bad.

Edgar said the Republican party is not without fault for the financial deficit.

“The free-spending days of George Ryan set the stage for this problem,” he said. “The administration of Governor Blagojevich made things exponentially worse.”

Not all representatives are in favor of the changes that will take place since the bill passed, said Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, who voted against the tax increase, and was among those who attended the speech.

Edgar said the tax increase, which is supposed to be temporary, might be necessary but would not begin to bring in more revenue for months. In the meantime, he said, it was likely the state would look to borrow money to pay its bills.

“Borrow and spend; it’s an old tune we all know by heart,” he said. “The harsh fiscal reality might well be that we have no choice but to raise taxes and borrow money to pay our bills, but the way we got into this mess deserves examination.”

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